Before You Hit The Floor
Chapter 3 :: Morning Mayhem
Summary :: Girl falls into Middle Earth, Girl joins fellowship, Girl falls in love with Merry...
Disclaimer :: I do not own Tolkien's stuff.. see what i'm tolkien about?
Author's Note :: LOL! okay... i apologize for that lame joke in the disclaimer above.. sorry sorry hope you won't hate me for saying that but i couldnt help myself. anyway, i just wanna say this now, i dunno how fast updates will be coming in the next week because school started again this week... -.- and i've got soccer practice forever and a game coming up.. but ill try!
and, > means that the next few sentences will be describing whats going on around the scene... you'll figure it out when you get there.
and remember, 'blahblahblah' means thoughts! oh ya and i am just going to refer to all of the 5 short people as "the hobbits" just because it is easier but remember caroline is not a hobbit! shes just uber short!
Reviews :: The Black Pearl Sorceress - Glad this intrigues you! Yeah, I hate Britney too but 'Toxic' seemed like a good song for a drunk midget to sing. lol.
Dynx - happy for it!
Lauren - yay for people who like this story!
if you added me to your favorite stories list, ROCK ON!
***
"Be right back." Merry said and left the table.
"But wait? Where are you going?" Pippin called after him, but he didn't answer. "Oh well." He glanced at Sam who was dabbing Caroline's head with a wet cloth and stole one of his bread crusts.
"Has anyone seen my food?" Sam said obliviously as he sat back down. Pippin blinked innocently after he quickly stuffed the food in his mouth. Frodo smiled.
"Ishhe gone tuh be ok?"
"Pippin, PLEASE, swallow your food before you talk." Sam said disgustedly as Pippin proudly showed off his food to the table.
"Is she going to be okay?" He said again after swallowing.
"Yes. She should come around any minute now."
As Pippin and Sam were talking, Frodo suddenly felt alone. He was sitting amist a huge pub full of noisy men and his best friends were chattering away happily beside him, but gradually there was a silence in his ears. He was blocking out all sound. His eyes rolled up into his head and his hand groped for the ring. Once it was safe in his fingers, he felt complete. He stared down at it. It was so... beautiful...
Merry sat back down at the table, looking excitedly at his drink that was considerably larger than the last. Pippin stared at it.
"What's that?"
"This my friend, is a pint." Pippin's jaw dropped.
"It comes in pints? I'm getting one!" He left the table in search of a pint sized drink. Merry took a sip and looked at Caroline.
"Is she going to wake up soon?" Sam shrugged and resumed searching for his food. Merry was staring at Caroline. She was most definately not from Middle Earth.. or anywhere near the Shire. He had never seen clothes like the ones she was wearing - pants to begin with. He had never seen a girl wearing pants.
And her shirt.. Grey like Gandalf's cloak, yet lighter and of a strange material. It was thick and baggy almost. There was a hood attached to the back and the front read 'H-U-R-L-E-Y', whatever that meant, in bright red letters.
Plus she was wearing shoes. Hobbits did not wear shoes, so she couldn't be a Hobbit.. could she? They were most unlike anything he had ever seen. They were the most curious blend of colors. He couldn't quite place a name on one; it was bright and rather hard to look at. The other was a strange tint of green. On the side was painted an odd animal.
'Remind me to ask her about that,' He thought to himself. Now that Pippin was gone, it was silent at the Hobbit table. Merry involuntarily reached out his hand and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face, behind her ear. She seemed to at home, yet so lost at the same time...
"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins." Merry's mind snapped back to the present and he turned in horror to see Pippin sitting at the bar talking to a pack of scraggly looking men. He glanced at Frodo who, likewise was staring at Pippin mouthing 'No!'.
"He's over there," Frodo jumped off his seat and struggled past the crowds of men to get to Pippin. "He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin, twice removed.." Frodo finally managed to reach Pippin and he grabbed the hem of his jacket, causing him to spill.
"Steady on Frodo!" Pippin said as his cousin fell backwards hitting the floor. The ring flew up into the air.
>
A dark, dirty man in the corner stood up, eyes following the ring fly up in the air.
Caroline opened her eyes and came back to reality just in time to see something shiny in the air. 'What the hell?' She thought as she got off the bench to see what was going on.
Sam said, "Mister Frodo!" weakly and struggled to get out of the table.
All eyes were on the little Hobbit lying on the ground.
>
Merry felt Caroline get up, but before he could turn to see her, the ring fell.. down.. and landed right on Frodo's finger.
"Ooh!" Everyone in the pub gasped as the Hobbit disappeared. Sam looked frantically around the room, but did not see his friend anywhere. That's when it all flooded back to Caroline.
Aragorn.
She grabbed the back of Merry's hood to get his attention and called to Sam. "Pippin!" She shouted to the young Hobbit sitting by the bar staring helplessly at the spot where Frodo had once been. He looked up. "Get over here!"
Once all the Hobbits, save Frodo, were assembled by her she began to talk. "Listen. There's a man here who is going to take Frodo upstairs. We need to find that room." Sam's jaw clenched.
"Frodo." He said angrily. "Where are they?!" Well now.. they never did explain how Sam, Merry, and Pippin found Aragorn's room, did they? For all the reader knows, they could have barged into every room on the floor.
"Um, well," The Hobbit's didn't want to wait any longer. Grabbing whatever they could they started for the stairs. "Okay, here we go.." Caroline muttered as she grabbed a spoon lying on the table.
*
The dark man threw Frodo on the ground. "What do you want?" He asked shakily as he backed up against the mantle.
"A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry." He said, hiding his face in the shadows of his hood.
"I carry nothing."
"Indeed." The man said as he pinched out the flame of the candles, cloaking the room in darkness. "I can avoid being seen if I wish. But to disappear entirely," He pulled back his hood to reveal a scruffy face and matted black hair. "That is a rare gift."
"Who are you?"
"Are you frightened?"
"Yes." Frodo spoke in a bolder voice.
"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." Before Frodo could respond the door burst open and Sam ran in, fists forward. Merry, waving a candlestick around, and Pippin, holding a chair and baring his teeth fiercely, came after him. Caroline ran in after them brandishing her spoon like a sword.
"GRR!" She yelled before she tripped over Merry's foot and landed on the ground. Aragorn blinked.
"Um.."
"Let him go, or i'll have you, Longshanks!" Sam shouted boldly. Aragorn ignored the girl in the back struggling to stand up.
"You have a stout heart, little Hobbit," He said as he put his sword in its sheath. "But that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."
*
Pippin sat on the floor with his mouth open as Aragorn finished telling them all who he was and that he was not evil. Then Sam turned to Caroline.
"Wait a second. How did you know he was going to find Frodo?" All eyes turned to Caroline who looked up meekly.
"Uh, well,"
Aragorn suddenly looked intrigued. "You knew? You knew I was searching for Frodo?"
"Um kinda,"
"What did you say?" The ranger had now gotten off his stool and stalked towards Caroline.
"Just something like this guy is gonna find Frodo and take him to his room to keep him safe and that he's a good guy and all.."
"But, how would you know this?" She knew she couldn't keep this a secret much longer.
"Um well, I saw Aragorn go get Frodo. And I reasoned that he would probably bring him up to his room and all..." That explanation earned her disbelieving stares from Sam and Aragorn.
"Right.. well you are to stay here for the night. It is much too dangerous in your room." He turned to look outside. "They are close." He said in a dead whisper.
"Who are close?" Pippin asked in a mock whisper like Aragorns.
Aragorn gave a big sigh and began..
"They were once men. Great kings of men, but Sauron the Deceiver gave them nine rings of power, and, blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." Caroline sat still on the floor reciting his little speech in her head.
"They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."
"Damn, you got the short end of that deal!" Caroline said loudly and started laughing. She was the only one, except Merry and Pippin who both cracked smiles. Aragorn glared at her again. He definately did not trust her.
"You Hobbits-"
Caroline cut him off. "Hey! No excluding me!"
"I meant not to, I said Hobbits,"
"What makes you think i'm a Hobbit?"
"Surely you are not that short and are not a Hobbit?" She stuck out her foot and grinned satisfactorily at the look of disgust on Aragorn's face that clearly said, 'What the hell are you?'
"Er, you Hobbit's and, um, other, creatures," Caroline shot him a death glare. "Other, people, should get some rest."
"Where, here?" Sam asked as if there was someplace else.
"Sam.." Frodo muttered. Aragorn nodded.
"Yes master hobbit, here."
"Right. I get the bed!" Caroline ran and jumped onto the bed, putting her hands behind her head and closed her eyes like she was asleep. Aragorn cleared his throat and Pippin made an odd noise like he was stifling a laugh. "Fine! I'll sleep somewhere else! Be mean to me!" She got off the bed slowly and resumed her old position beside Pippin.
"I shall keep watch." Aragorn pointed to the bed. "Go, rest. The Nazgul will not reach you here." Caroline's mouth hung open.
"Wha? But! I just.." She sunk down on the floor where she was standing as the four Hobbits herded over to the oversized bed. Merry turned and was surprised to see Caroline on the floor.
"What are you doing? Don't you want to sleep on a bed?" Caroline glared at him with one eye. She had been 'trying' to 'sleep'.
"Yes. But *he* doesn't want me to." She jerked her head towards Aragorn who sighed exasperatedly.
"Come on. You've had a rough day." Sam spoke up. Well, she had passed out from too much alcohol intake..
"Okay!" She happily jumped up and bounced over to the side of bed. "Hey! Move!" She said to Pippin who was nearly falling off the edge of the bed. Merry sat up.
"Bad sleeping arrangement." He said and all the Hobbits got off the bed. Aragorn stared at at them.
"Frodo is on the inside and i'm on the outside." Sam said as he crossed his arms.
"Pippin, why don't you be on the inside too since you have a tendency to fall out of bed." Frodo told Pippin.
"I ain't sleepin on no outside! He'll eat me!" Caroline pointed to Aragorn who put his head in his hands.
"Then you sleep between Pippin and me." Merry reasoned.
"Done." Caroline said as they all piled onto the bed in their designated sleeping arrangements. By this time Aragorn had decided they were completely nuts.
The room was silent for the time after that. Each Hobbit was slowly dropping off to sleep, except two. Merry tried to sleep, but it just wouldn't come. Everytime he tried to clear his mind of all thought, it wandered right back to the person laying next to him.
Caroline couldn't sleep either. She lay on her side facing Pippin who's face was pressed into his pillow. At first everything seemed cool and relaxed, but have you ever tried sleeping in a bed with four other guys? One of whom you have held an unhealthy obsession for, for quite some time? All under the same covers?
I didn't think so.
Soon her back began to hurt from staying in the same position, but she didn't want to move. What if she turned over and ended up facing Merry? She would definately not be able to sleep then.
Her mind began to wander.. Her family. Would she ever see them again? She hadn't really thought about them until now, but of course she wouldn't miss them as much because, frankly, she just didn't like them. They treated her like most parents treat their teenagers - not understanding.
Then there were her friends. What she wouldn't give to have one of them with her now. She felt so alone in Middle Earth.. the one place she had always longed to go. Now she didn't really have any friends. The only people she "knew" were the people that were introduced in Lord of the Rings.
Would she be allowed to join the Fellowship? That was her one big dream, to be the tenth member of the Fellowship of the ring. She sighed involuntarily. Her life was certainly going downhill...
*
The first thing Aragorn saw when he opened his eyes that morning was something big, black, and hairy.
"GAH!!" He shouted as he pulled back his head and brandished his sword. A small fuzzy spider crawled madly away from the king and down to the floor.
"Whus goin on?" Pippin sat up groggily, awakened by the racket Aragorn was making.
"Nothing. Wake the others." The young Hobbit nodded, still half asleep and turned to Frodo's side of the bed.
"Frod.. Am.." He mumbled while he yawned and prodded Frodo's shoulder. After doing so he fell back onto his pillow and immediately went back to sleep. Frodo sat up and looked around the room, waiting for the sleep to leave his eyes. He saw Aragorn cleaning his sword and Sam still sleeping peacefully beside him. He snorted when he saw Pippin asleep again.
Then he saw Caroline and Merry. Note: the Caroline and Merry. They were not sleeping seperatley. No no. He felt his jaw drop when he saw Caroline with her head resting on Merry's chest and Merry's arm around her.
He elbowed Sam. This was classic. "Sam!" He whispered loudly. "Get up!" Aragorn paused his work to look at Frodo.
"Why do you whisper, master Hobbit?" Frodo pointed to the left side of the bed. Aragorn rolled his eyes and continued with his work. By now Sam had woken and was in the process of standing up.
"Mornin Mister Fro-" He stopped once he saw the two on the end. "Uh, did I miss somethin?" Frodo grabbed Pippin and dragged him off the bed onto the floor trying to stand him up as he mumbled for more sleep.
Pippin opened his eyes to see his best friend snuggling with the mysterious girl. He started to snicker. Then snort. Then laugh uncontrollably.
*
Caroline sighed in her sleep. She couldn't remember a time when she had been this comfortable. She could hear distant voices somewhere through the think fog of her dreamlike state.
'No.. I don't want to get up..' She thought as she grasped her pillow and snuggled closer to it. She shifted uncomfortably in her sleep. Was somebody playing the drums? She could hear a slight drumming noise, steady and strong. Suddenly an arm tightened around her back.
Her eyes flew open.
The next thing she saw was an arm. She lifted her head slowly, fearing the worst. The worst came to be.
"HOLY HELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Caroline screamed as she scrambled out of the sheets and fell off the bed. Merry blinked his eyes and saw everyone in the room staring at him, Caroline on the floor looking fearfully, and slightly angrily at him.
"What happened?"
"Don't give me that! You think just because i'm sleeping by you means you can hit on me?"
"What?"
"Oh, yeah, act innocent! See if I care!" She shouted and proceeded to march straight up to him and punch him sharply on the face.
"Hey!" Pippin shouted as he rushed over to the fighting 'couple' to try and break it up. Caroline was busy standing over him cursing loudly.
"People!" Aragorn got off his stool in attempt to quiet down the racket the girl was making. "People! QUIET!" The room fell silent and Caroline glared at the king, crossing her arms defensively.
"You saw what he did to me!"
"That is no grounds to attack him." His gaze moved to Merry who was currently holding his head in pain.
"Why not? He was.. was.." She seemed too angry to even talk straight.
"Ah, but you do not know what happened the whole night." Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at Aragorn. "I mean, I was awake the whole time. I saw what really happened."
"Do you.. did we.." Caroline breathed in a very frightened tone.
"No! No, no no.. sometime after all of you had fallen asleep you, Caroline, rolled over and put your head on Merry and he involuntarily, uh, well, put his arm around you.. i guess.." He muttered nervously.
"So it was you're fault!" Pippin said as he helped Merry stand.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Look it doesn't matter!" Frodo took a stand. "We have a long way to go and no time to spend on trivial matters such as this."
Aragorn nodded at the Hobbit's remark. "Frodo is right. Pack up. We are leaving." He grabbed his sword and made for the door. Caroline sighed. This was not the Middle Earth she had been dreaming about.
***
author's note :: aww poor merry!! haha.. it gets better for him. promise. ;D now review and make me happy.
Chapter 3 :: Morning Mayhem
Summary :: Girl falls into Middle Earth, Girl joins fellowship, Girl falls in love with Merry...
Disclaimer :: I do not own Tolkien's stuff.. see what i'm tolkien about?
Author's Note :: LOL! okay... i apologize for that lame joke in the disclaimer above.. sorry sorry hope you won't hate me for saying that but i couldnt help myself. anyway, i just wanna say this now, i dunno how fast updates will be coming in the next week because school started again this week... -.- and i've got soccer practice forever and a game coming up.. but ill try!
and, > means that the next few sentences will be describing whats going on around the scene... you'll figure it out when you get there.
and remember, 'blahblahblah' means thoughts! oh ya and i am just going to refer to all of the 5 short people as "the hobbits" just because it is easier but remember caroline is not a hobbit! shes just uber short!
Reviews :: The Black Pearl Sorceress - Glad this intrigues you! Yeah, I hate Britney too but 'Toxic' seemed like a good song for a drunk midget to sing. lol.
Dynx - happy for it!
Lauren - yay for people who like this story!
***
"Be right back." Merry said and left the table.
"But wait? Where are you going?" Pippin called after him, but he didn't answer. "Oh well." He glanced at Sam who was dabbing Caroline's head with a wet cloth and stole one of his bread crusts.
"Has anyone seen my food?" Sam said obliviously as he sat back down. Pippin blinked innocently after he quickly stuffed the food in his mouth. Frodo smiled.
"Ishhe gone tuh be ok?"
"Pippin, PLEASE, swallow your food before you talk." Sam said disgustedly as Pippin proudly showed off his food to the table.
"Is she going to be okay?" He said again after swallowing.
"Yes. She should come around any minute now."
As Pippin and Sam were talking, Frodo suddenly felt alone. He was sitting amist a huge pub full of noisy men and his best friends were chattering away happily beside him, but gradually there was a silence in his ears. He was blocking out all sound. His eyes rolled up into his head and his hand groped for the ring. Once it was safe in his fingers, he felt complete. He stared down at it. It was so... beautiful...
Merry sat back down at the table, looking excitedly at his drink that was considerably larger than the last. Pippin stared at it.
"What's that?"
"This my friend, is a pint." Pippin's jaw dropped.
"It comes in pints? I'm getting one!" He left the table in search of a pint sized drink. Merry took a sip and looked at Caroline.
"Is she going to wake up soon?" Sam shrugged and resumed searching for his food. Merry was staring at Caroline. She was most definately not from Middle Earth.. or anywhere near the Shire. He had never seen clothes like the ones she was wearing - pants to begin with. He had never seen a girl wearing pants.
And her shirt.. Grey like Gandalf's cloak, yet lighter and of a strange material. It was thick and baggy almost. There was a hood attached to the back and the front read 'H-U-R-L-E-Y', whatever that meant, in bright red letters.
Plus she was wearing shoes. Hobbits did not wear shoes, so she couldn't be a Hobbit.. could she? They were most unlike anything he had ever seen. They were the most curious blend of colors. He couldn't quite place a name on one; it was bright and rather hard to look at. The other was a strange tint of green. On the side was painted an odd animal.
'Remind me to ask her about that,' He thought to himself. Now that Pippin was gone, it was silent at the Hobbit table. Merry involuntarily reached out his hand and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face, behind her ear. She seemed to at home, yet so lost at the same time...
"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins." Merry's mind snapped back to the present and he turned in horror to see Pippin sitting at the bar talking to a pack of scraggly looking men. He glanced at Frodo who, likewise was staring at Pippin mouthing 'No!'.
"He's over there," Frodo jumped off his seat and struggled past the crowds of men to get to Pippin. "He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin, twice removed.." Frodo finally managed to reach Pippin and he grabbed the hem of his jacket, causing him to spill.
"Steady on Frodo!" Pippin said as his cousin fell backwards hitting the floor. The ring flew up into the air.
>
A dark, dirty man in the corner stood up, eyes following the ring fly up in the air.
Caroline opened her eyes and came back to reality just in time to see something shiny in the air. 'What the hell?' She thought as she got off the bench to see what was going on.
Sam said, "Mister Frodo!" weakly and struggled to get out of the table.
All eyes were on the little Hobbit lying on the ground.
>
Merry felt Caroline get up, but before he could turn to see her, the ring fell.. down.. and landed right on Frodo's finger.
"Ooh!" Everyone in the pub gasped as the Hobbit disappeared. Sam looked frantically around the room, but did not see his friend anywhere. That's when it all flooded back to Caroline.
Aragorn.
She grabbed the back of Merry's hood to get his attention and called to Sam. "Pippin!" She shouted to the young Hobbit sitting by the bar staring helplessly at the spot where Frodo had once been. He looked up. "Get over here!"
Once all the Hobbits, save Frodo, were assembled by her she began to talk. "Listen. There's a man here who is going to take Frodo upstairs. We need to find that room." Sam's jaw clenched.
"Frodo." He said angrily. "Where are they?!" Well now.. they never did explain how Sam, Merry, and Pippin found Aragorn's room, did they? For all the reader knows, they could have barged into every room on the floor.
"Um, well," The Hobbit's didn't want to wait any longer. Grabbing whatever they could they started for the stairs. "Okay, here we go.." Caroline muttered as she grabbed a spoon lying on the table.
*
The dark man threw Frodo on the ground. "What do you want?" He asked shakily as he backed up against the mantle.
"A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry." He said, hiding his face in the shadows of his hood.
"I carry nothing."
"Indeed." The man said as he pinched out the flame of the candles, cloaking the room in darkness. "I can avoid being seen if I wish. But to disappear entirely," He pulled back his hood to reveal a scruffy face and matted black hair. "That is a rare gift."
"Who are you?"
"Are you frightened?"
"Yes." Frodo spoke in a bolder voice.
"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." Before Frodo could respond the door burst open and Sam ran in, fists forward. Merry, waving a candlestick around, and Pippin, holding a chair and baring his teeth fiercely, came after him. Caroline ran in after them brandishing her spoon like a sword.
"GRR!" She yelled before she tripped over Merry's foot and landed on the ground. Aragorn blinked.
"Um.."
"Let him go, or i'll have you, Longshanks!" Sam shouted boldly. Aragorn ignored the girl in the back struggling to stand up.
"You have a stout heart, little Hobbit," He said as he put his sword in its sheath. "But that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."
*
Pippin sat on the floor with his mouth open as Aragorn finished telling them all who he was and that he was not evil. Then Sam turned to Caroline.
"Wait a second. How did you know he was going to find Frodo?" All eyes turned to Caroline who looked up meekly.
"Uh, well,"
Aragorn suddenly looked intrigued. "You knew? You knew I was searching for Frodo?"
"Um kinda,"
"What did you say?" The ranger had now gotten off his stool and stalked towards Caroline.
"Just something like this guy is gonna find Frodo and take him to his room to keep him safe and that he's a good guy and all.."
"But, how would you know this?" She knew she couldn't keep this a secret much longer.
"Um well, I saw Aragorn go get Frodo. And I reasoned that he would probably bring him up to his room and all..." That explanation earned her disbelieving stares from Sam and Aragorn.
"Right.. well you are to stay here for the night. It is much too dangerous in your room." He turned to look outside. "They are close." He said in a dead whisper.
"Who are close?" Pippin asked in a mock whisper like Aragorns.
Aragorn gave a big sigh and began..
"They were once men. Great kings of men, but Sauron the Deceiver gave them nine rings of power, and, blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." Caroline sat still on the floor reciting his little speech in her head.
"They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."
"Damn, you got the short end of that deal!" Caroline said loudly and started laughing. She was the only one, except Merry and Pippin who both cracked smiles. Aragorn glared at her again. He definately did not trust her.
"You Hobbits-"
Caroline cut him off. "Hey! No excluding me!"
"I meant not to, I said Hobbits,"
"What makes you think i'm a Hobbit?"
"Surely you are not that short and are not a Hobbit?" She stuck out her foot and grinned satisfactorily at the look of disgust on Aragorn's face that clearly said, 'What the hell are you?'
"Er, you Hobbit's and, um, other, creatures," Caroline shot him a death glare. "Other, people, should get some rest."
"Where, here?" Sam asked as if there was someplace else.
"Sam.." Frodo muttered. Aragorn nodded.
"Yes master hobbit, here."
"Right. I get the bed!" Caroline ran and jumped onto the bed, putting her hands behind her head and closed her eyes like she was asleep. Aragorn cleared his throat and Pippin made an odd noise like he was stifling a laugh. "Fine! I'll sleep somewhere else! Be mean to me!" She got off the bed slowly and resumed her old position beside Pippin.
"I shall keep watch." Aragorn pointed to the bed. "Go, rest. The Nazgul will not reach you here." Caroline's mouth hung open.
"Wha? But! I just.." She sunk down on the floor where she was standing as the four Hobbits herded over to the oversized bed. Merry turned and was surprised to see Caroline on the floor.
"What are you doing? Don't you want to sleep on a bed?" Caroline glared at him with one eye. She had been 'trying' to 'sleep'.
"Yes. But *he* doesn't want me to." She jerked her head towards Aragorn who sighed exasperatedly.
"Come on. You've had a rough day." Sam spoke up. Well, she had passed out from too much alcohol intake..
"Okay!" She happily jumped up and bounced over to the side of bed. "Hey! Move!" She said to Pippin who was nearly falling off the edge of the bed. Merry sat up.
"Bad sleeping arrangement." He said and all the Hobbits got off the bed. Aragorn stared at at them.
"Frodo is on the inside and i'm on the outside." Sam said as he crossed his arms.
"Pippin, why don't you be on the inside too since you have a tendency to fall out of bed." Frodo told Pippin.
"I ain't sleepin on no outside! He'll eat me!" Caroline pointed to Aragorn who put his head in his hands.
"Then you sleep between Pippin and me." Merry reasoned.
"Done." Caroline said as they all piled onto the bed in their designated sleeping arrangements. By this time Aragorn had decided they were completely nuts.
The room was silent for the time after that. Each Hobbit was slowly dropping off to sleep, except two. Merry tried to sleep, but it just wouldn't come. Everytime he tried to clear his mind of all thought, it wandered right back to the person laying next to him.
Caroline couldn't sleep either. She lay on her side facing Pippin who's face was pressed into his pillow. At first everything seemed cool and relaxed, but have you ever tried sleeping in a bed with four other guys? One of whom you have held an unhealthy obsession for, for quite some time? All under the same covers?
I didn't think so.
Soon her back began to hurt from staying in the same position, but she didn't want to move. What if she turned over and ended up facing Merry? She would definately not be able to sleep then.
Her mind began to wander.. Her family. Would she ever see them again? She hadn't really thought about them until now, but of course she wouldn't miss them as much because, frankly, she just didn't like them. They treated her like most parents treat their teenagers - not understanding.
Then there were her friends. What she wouldn't give to have one of them with her now. She felt so alone in Middle Earth.. the one place she had always longed to go. Now she didn't really have any friends. The only people she "knew" were the people that were introduced in Lord of the Rings.
Would she be allowed to join the Fellowship? That was her one big dream, to be the tenth member of the Fellowship of the ring. She sighed involuntarily. Her life was certainly going downhill...
*
The first thing Aragorn saw when he opened his eyes that morning was something big, black, and hairy.
"GAH!!" He shouted as he pulled back his head and brandished his sword. A small fuzzy spider crawled madly away from the king and down to the floor.
"Whus goin on?" Pippin sat up groggily, awakened by the racket Aragorn was making.
"Nothing. Wake the others." The young Hobbit nodded, still half asleep and turned to Frodo's side of the bed.
"Frod.. Am.." He mumbled while he yawned and prodded Frodo's shoulder. After doing so he fell back onto his pillow and immediately went back to sleep. Frodo sat up and looked around the room, waiting for the sleep to leave his eyes. He saw Aragorn cleaning his sword and Sam still sleeping peacefully beside him. He snorted when he saw Pippin asleep again.
Then he saw Caroline and Merry. Note: the Caroline and Merry. They were not sleeping seperatley. No no. He felt his jaw drop when he saw Caroline with her head resting on Merry's chest and Merry's arm around her.
He elbowed Sam. This was classic. "Sam!" He whispered loudly. "Get up!" Aragorn paused his work to look at Frodo.
"Why do you whisper, master Hobbit?" Frodo pointed to the left side of the bed. Aragorn rolled his eyes and continued with his work. By now Sam had woken and was in the process of standing up.
"Mornin Mister Fro-" He stopped once he saw the two on the end. "Uh, did I miss somethin?" Frodo grabbed Pippin and dragged him off the bed onto the floor trying to stand him up as he mumbled for more sleep.
Pippin opened his eyes to see his best friend snuggling with the mysterious girl. He started to snicker. Then snort. Then laugh uncontrollably.
*
Caroline sighed in her sleep. She couldn't remember a time when she had been this comfortable. She could hear distant voices somewhere through the think fog of her dreamlike state.
'No.. I don't want to get up..' She thought as she grasped her pillow and snuggled closer to it. She shifted uncomfortably in her sleep. Was somebody playing the drums? She could hear a slight drumming noise, steady and strong. Suddenly an arm tightened around her back.
Her eyes flew open.
The next thing she saw was an arm. She lifted her head slowly, fearing the worst. The worst came to be.
"HOLY HELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Caroline screamed as she scrambled out of the sheets and fell off the bed. Merry blinked his eyes and saw everyone in the room staring at him, Caroline on the floor looking fearfully, and slightly angrily at him.
"What happened?"
"Don't give me that! You think just because i'm sleeping by you means you can hit on me?"
"What?"
"Oh, yeah, act innocent! See if I care!" She shouted and proceeded to march straight up to him and punch him sharply on the face.
"Hey!" Pippin shouted as he rushed over to the fighting 'couple' to try and break it up. Caroline was busy standing over him cursing loudly.
"People!" Aragorn got off his stool in attempt to quiet down the racket the girl was making. "People! QUIET!" The room fell silent and Caroline glared at the king, crossing her arms defensively.
"You saw what he did to me!"
"That is no grounds to attack him." His gaze moved to Merry who was currently holding his head in pain.
"Why not? He was.. was.." She seemed too angry to even talk straight.
"Ah, but you do not know what happened the whole night." Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at Aragorn. "I mean, I was awake the whole time. I saw what really happened."
"Do you.. did we.." Caroline breathed in a very frightened tone.
"No! No, no no.. sometime after all of you had fallen asleep you, Caroline, rolled over and put your head on Merry and he involuntarily, uh, well, put his arm around you.. i guess.." He muttered nervously.
"So it was you're fault!" Pippin said as he helped Merry stand.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Look it doesn't matter!" Frodo took a stand. "We have a long way to go and no time to spend on trivial matters such as this."
Aragorn nodded at the Hobbit's remark. "Frodo is right. Pack up. We are leaving." He grabbed his sword and made for the door. Caroline sighed. This was not the Middle Earth she had been dreaming about.
***
author's note :: aww poor merry!! haha.. it gets better for him. promise. ;D now review and make me happy.